In general, semantic networks provide a way to convey relationships between different entities. For example, a semantic network can include a number of resource nodes. Links between the resource nodes in a semantic network indicate a relationship from one resource to another.
If presented properly, the semantic network can be very useful for identifying relationships between the same or different types of resources. For example, a node of a semantic network can represent a core idea. The core idea may not be adequately described via use of a mere label specifying the core idea.
Use of a semantic network enables one to easily display additional information associated with the core idea. As an example, information associated with a core idea node can be represented as additional nodes in the semantic network. Such additional nodes can represent information such as documents, text, pictures, links to websites, etc. associated with the core idea. However, semantic networks are more general than simpler representations such as trees and tables.
A presence of links between the core idea node and other nodes enables a viewer to quickly identify a degree to which the additional is related to the core idea. For example, a direct link between a satellite node and a core node can indicate that the satellite node is closely related to the core idea. Nodes that are present in the semantic network but that are not directly connected to the core idea node can represent more tangential concepts.
One type of network is a social network. Typically, social network services employ social software to allow users to come together online around shared hobbies, or causes. Users can search for and connect with other users according to attributes such as location, age, gender, etc.
As more user profiles are added and become linked to other user profiles, a vast virtual community is created and defined according to the numerous linkages between the users and the commonalities of the users' attributes. Often, such social network services leverage such linkages and attributes to better manage their virtual communities and to provide better communication and information sharing between the users.
Another type of software application to manage resources is a conventional human resource management system. Such conventional resource management systems are used to keep track of employees in an organization. More sophisticated human resource management systems enable a corresponding administrator to keep track of additional information related to the employees.
Yet another type of software application to search for human resources is an expertise location system which is used to locate employee expertise or key skills from within an organization.